I should clarify a misconception: Pennington had no desire to return simply to serve as mentor to Henne. He's coming back to play football....These guys are friends, by all means, but it's not the type of teacher-student relationship many have made it out to be.

So it seems that there will be a legit QB competition between Henne and Penny, which I would expect Henne to win. In that case, would Pennington be trade bait? It would cost us $1.5mil to trade him, but if we get good compensation it may be worth it.

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Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:04 am

1984phins

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Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

I'm not buying this at all.

I don't think Pennington is stupid enough to think he can be the starter here.

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Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:09 am

Phins Rock

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:28 amPosts: 7532Location: Massachusetts

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

I agree with '84. I think Pennington knows his role here. He was going to be a back-up wherever he went, mine as well keep your family where they are comfortable.

I think Pennington the the 3rd QB. Thigpen will be the back-up.

I think if somebody goes and offers us a very nice draft pick for Thigpen, he's gone, but otherwise, he will be here for a while.I don't think Pennington gets traded either.

Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:17 am

AQNOR

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:17 amPosts: 3866

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

Quote:

PALM BEACH GARDENS - Chad Henne isn't scared of competition, and he doesn't care if it comes from the mentor he replaced as the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback.

In fact, put Henne down as an influential endorser, pushing for the Dolphins to re-sign Chad Pennington.

"I'd love it. I love Chad to death," Henne said when asked about Pennington possibly returning to the Dolphins. "Whatever happens, happens. I learned so much from him. If he's with us, I'll learn even more. It's a great opportunity if he comes back. We'll welcome him back."

...

If we want to compete I'm definitely up for the competition," said Henne, who participated in the team's Fins-Cup Pro Am golf tournament on Monday. "Anywhere you go you're going to have to compete for the job. It'd be a great one-two combo."

...

But Pennington's priority entering his 11th season in the NFL is to remain a starter, and it's possible teams such as St. Louis, Arizona and Jacksonville will grant him an opportunity to compete for that role if he proves his arm is up to it. The Dolphins would jump to the top of that list if they also make it an open competition.

According to a team source, the Dolphins' main hesitancy with Pennington involves "the shadow his presence would present." Pennington has "a strong command" of the team, which he led to a 11-5 record and the playoffs in 2008, and it could create a locker room divide if Henne struggles.

However, they also know Pennington's leadership, experience, and intellect are all intangibles that would be beneficial to the team and Henne. Especially considering the front office identified a leadership void as one of the reasons the season ended with a disappointing three-game losing streak.

Henne, a four-year starter and team captain at Michigan, admits one of his goals is to become a better leader. His first step was successfully lobbying some of his teammates to begin their offseason conditioning program on Monday, a few weeks early.

Against a widespread belief that Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington's two-year tenure in Miami is over, the two-time NFL comeback player of the year isn't ready to say the same. Pennington wants to stay in South Florida.

The veteran has decided to make it his priority to stay with the Dolphins, even if it means backing up quarterback Chad Henne, two sources said this week. The Dolphins are willing to entertain the possibility under some circumstances.

Pennington, who underwent his most recent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum on Oct. 1, must prove strong enough to make some of the most difficult throws in football. Specifically, the team wants to see Pennington make a 15-yard out route before the end of February, one source said.

Such a route calls for the wide receiver to run 15 yards and make a 90-degree cut toward the far sideline. It is a dangerous pass that requires power and distance - two qualities that were not often Pennington's strong suits.

....

The Dolphins, meanwhile, continue to have faith in Henne as their starter, although coach Tony Sparano was not willing to say at the end of the most recent season that Henne would automatically start in 2010.

If Pennington really wanted to be starter, he wouldn't have asked for the no trade clause. He also wouldn't have signed with Miami so quickly.

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Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:35 am

10acjed

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:43 pmPosts: 4789Location: Wellington, FL

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

I agree with 84phins,

Will there be a competition - Yes, of course there will be.

But I am not for one minute buying into the scenario that this regime brought Chad P back to be the starter.

Nor do I even think that Chad P took a 2.5mil deal thinking that he is capable of playing a 16 game season...

Lets face it, he was coming off a shoulder surgery when we signed him to a 2 year 12 million deal.. Now, just 2 seasons later he takes 2.5 and thinks he is going to be the starter... I aint buying it...

Lets face it. If your not a top 10 QB in the NFL you will probably compete for the starting job come training camp...

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I believe it. Pennington has a players heart, always has. Everytime he gets nuked, he comes back with the vengence. How many times have we seen him go down with the Jets just to come back and lay the smack on us. We saw it ourselves in 2008. He wants to play, and that gives him merit with this regime. Will he start? No I don't think so, but he will compete. It's his nature. One that this FO looks fondly upon.

Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:50 am

AQNOR

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:17 amPosts: 3866

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

Given the way he has come back from injury before and with the success he has had in the NFL I would be suprised if he did not think he had a shot at starting.

If by some crazy reason Pennington starts we are stuck in mediocrity once again. We are not gonna get the gifts of 08 again ... the first 3 games of 09 are more like reality. Moving the ball between the 20's is great but settling for field goals is not. A QB controversy is what we dont need ... Henne needs to be the guy.

_________________2015. Jets & Bills new regimes & no QB. Pats , nowhere to go but down. We come back with best young QB in the game plus we keep the best regime intact. Making of dynasty.

Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:44 pm

joeschmoe

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:09 amPosts: 774Location: Fort Lauderdale

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

Quote:

Although it has been widely reported that Pennington agreed to a one-year contract with the Dolphins worth $2.5 million with a "trade bonus" of $1.515 million if the team trades him, it has not been widely circulated (that I've seen) what happens if Pennington sets training camp on fire at the same time Chad Henne struggles.

The contract Pennington agreed stipulates that if Pennington starts over Henne, the veteran gets a salary of $5.75 million.

The number isn't what's important. What is important is that Pennington has agreed to be the backup and would accept that role. But, being a competitor, he is not simply going to come to camp and simply lay down -- at least not once his arm starts feeling good.

Pennington will want to be the best quarterback he can be.

And as the Dolphins gave Pennington the starter's clause in the contract, they obviously see the possibility (however small) that he might win the starting job at some point (either through competition or injury to Henne) and would, therefore, merit a higher salary.

So while both Pennington and the Dolphins have agreed his stated role will be the backup role, both also recognize there is a chance he 1. could be traded or 2. could be the starter.

All this brings back memories of Strock and Marino.Look how that worked out. I say it's a win win for us.

Thanks Deb...just spit coffee all over my screen

Not quite but here's the deal. Pennington is a player. Would you want the guy to come in and say, yeah I'm happy to carry a clipboard? My gut feeling is Sparano wants folks trying to unseat, pressure or push the starter not sit back into early retirement. Pennington may not have been able to exploit the deep game but Henne really didn't tear it up in that department either. I say let the best man win. If there real close at the end of preseason you go with Henne. This is, as you put it, a win-win for Miami

I never doubted CP would want to play, Strock probably did too (I liked Strock).I also agree Tony's going to push these guys as far as he can. He pushes the entire team and to me, that's good. Unless he flat wears them out before games. LOL

I'd rather have CP as our back up, especially if White stays. IMO, he did nothing for the team as qb.The only time I've ever seen Thigpen is when he stepped in when White got hurt, but even for that short amount of time, he seemed to be in better control.

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Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:04 pm

AQNOR

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:17 amPosts: 3866

Re: Chad Pennington is here to play football.

Quote:

The Pennington contract covers all the bases

Although it has been widely reported that Pennington agreed to a one-year contract with the Dolphins worth $2.5 million with a "trade bonus" of $1.515 million if the team trades him, it has not been widely circulated (that I've seen) what happens if Pennington sets training camp on fire at the same time Chad Henne struggles.

The contract Pennington agreed stipulates that if Pennington starts over Henne, the veteran gets a salary of $5.75 million.

The number isn't what's important. What is important is that Pennington has agreed to be the backup and would accept that role. But, being a competitor, he is not simply going to come to camp and simply lay down -- at least not once his arm starts feeling good.

Pennington will want to be the best quarterback he can be.

...

[Update: I'm told Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis suffered a wrist injury toward the end of the 2009 season and spent several weeks in a cast afterward. It is unclear if the injury required surgery. Davis has since progressed enough to have the cast removed and is now rehabilitating. He could be limited initially at the start of the team's conditioning program but should be 100 percent for minicamps and training camp.]

Although it has been widely reported that Pennington agreed to a one-year contract with the Dolphins worth $2.5 million with a "trade bonus" of $1.515 million if the team trades him, it has not been widely circulated (that I've seen) what happens if Pennington sets training camp on fire at the same time Chad Henne struggles.

The contract Pennington agreed stipulates that if Pennington starts over Henne, the veteran gets a salary of $5.75 million.

The number isn't what's important. What is important is that Pennington has agreed to be the backup and would accept that role. But, being a competitor, he is not simply going to come to camp and simply lay down -- at least not once his arm starts feeling good.

Pennington will want to be the best quarterback he can be.

...

[Update: I'm told Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis suffered a wrist injury toward the end of the 2009 season and spent several weeks in a cast afterward. It is unclear if the injury required surgery. Davis has since progressed enough to have the cast removed and is now rehabilitating. He could be limited initially at the start of the team's conditioning program but should be 100 percent for minicamps and training camp.]

The Dolphins' plan, barring an offer that's too tempting to ignore, remains to keep both Pennington and Thigpen on the roster.

The new depth chart at quarterback doesn't speak well for the future of second-year quarterback Pat White, making it more important than ever for White to prove worthy of a niche role by the end of training camp.